The present invention relates to an improved attachment structure for a vehicle radiator.
Known as the attachment structure for a vehicle radiator are, for instance, "SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR AN AUTOMOBILE RADIATOR" disclosed in JP-A-60-46335U and "RADIATOR SUPPORT WITH A GAP ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM" disclosed in JP-A-60-47826U.
In the structure disclosed in the JP-A-60-46335U, as shown in FIG. 8, a lower portion of a radiator 201 (reference numerals used in the official gazette are used) is attached to a lower cross member 204 via a bracket 203 and a resilient member 202 and a boss 209 formed on an upper portion of the radiator 201 is fitted over a cylindrical portion 210 of a resilient member 205, whereby the upper portion of the radiator 201 is attached to an upper cross member 207 via a bracket 206 and the resilient member 205.
In the structure disclosed in the JP-A-60-47826U, as shown in FIG. 9, a lower portion of a radiator 310 is attached to a vehicle body 315 via a lower radiator support 312, and an upper portion of the radiator 310 is attached to the vehicle body 315 via an upper radiator support 311.
In recent years, there has been proposed an engine hood with a shock-absorbing structure in which a distal end portion of the engine hood is made of plastic or the rigidity thereof is reduced, so that the engine hood is deformed when an obstacle hits thereagainst such that a force imparted to the obstacle becomes as small as possible.
Even if the aforesaid shock-absorbing structure is adopted for the engine hood, however, with a radiator being located directly underneath the engine hood, the deflected displacement of the engine hood is suppressed by the radiator.
To cope with this, when it is tried that the radiator attachment structure disclosed in the JP-A-60-46335U is applied to the engine hood with the shock-absorbing structure, the engine hood and the radiator need to be disposed such that a sufficient distance can be secured between them so as to sufficiently absorb an impact that would be imparted to an obstacle that hits against the engine hood. This, however, requires a large space inside the engine compartment and this results in the imposition of a limitation to the structural design of a vehicle. For instance, increases in length and weight of a vehicle will have to be involved.
In addition, even in the radiator attachment structure disclosed in the JP-A-60-47826U, no consideration is given with respect to the structure of the radiator; that is, the radiator is not constructed so as to escape backward or to easily break, and therefore, this structure also includes the drawback inherent in the radiator attachment structure disclosed in the JP-A-60-46335U.